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Postings about the decline in NCU cricket always have the same platitude that "we should be doing more to help the struggling clubs" - but the same posters have never come up with any meaningful proposals as to what that "help" should be. There has to be a recognition that there are about 4 top sides who have the financial clout to win trophies, about 10 or so wannabes who are spending hard-earned cash to pursue a dream that, realistically, will never happen and the rest playing "social" cricket at a level where Power Plays, free hits, etc. mean absolutely nothing. There is a continuing and worryingly increasing gap in playing standards between the likes of Instonians and Waringstown and the "rest". I know that there are those who will point out the odd "rogue" result that occured last weekend but our Premier League will be won by one of the two teams mentioned above and the rest will sleepwalk throuh another season!

Well said Neill. Attitudes like Rob's will not promote the game. I have outlined some of the difficulties faced by some clubs and he still wants to put them down. The location of the clubs in Section 3 is wide - there are are a fair few miles between Ards and Portadown so I am sure they dont enjoy the same climate!!! Fair play to Ards for playing mid-week - I am sure the boys at Portadown, Dunmurry, PSNI etc are doing their best to though. Simply dismissing these clubs is quite frankly ridiculous. Who do you play for Rob as a matter of interest?

Looking forward to another local derby on saturday at the second best meadow in county down. Should be a tight game as always. Plenty of banter flying about aswell no doubt.

I have been reading here about ways of getting people back playing cricket etc and the debate has brought about some good ideas. However people coming on here and saying that a league should be scrapped doesnt really help does it?
There are teams in section 3 who are having difficulties but should we not aim to help these teams not just throw them to the wolves. What does that do in terms of getting people back playing ... nothing it just removes more people from the game.
We as a club have been in section 3 for ever and believe me knowing the lads at our club we wish there were more games of cricket in a season. We may not be great but we love it. Also I think it a bit harsh on teams who have been in and around the league over the past number of years most of whom I know like us will work their backsides off to get games played. Some teams may not have played that many games but if people were to take the time to ask why games havent been fulfilled there may be a better understanding. Promote cricket dont knock it.

I think people need to be realistic here , Portadown have pulled out the league , Dunmurry are struggling to field a team some weeks and some of the teams have only played 4/5 games...teams at the top of the league have played more games in the same weather conditions as everyone else...why I ask , well they are interested in making grounds playable and playing all days of the week . Ards for example played a match over 2 days midweek recently...why are the other teams not following suit and getting games on!!.

The PSNI have had issues etc with G8 etc but why bother playing in the Div when this is going to cause issues for other teams. I am not suggesting Div 2/3 merge but basically get rid of the dead wood in DIV 3...make a larger div 2 with an extra 3 teams.

Fair enough comment Rob - things need to be looked at. I think it is a reflection of the state of the game at grass roots level. I disagree with the comment that clubs "who cannot field teams are not interested in making the grounds playable and are generally not interested". I know a lot of the lower clubs operate in spite of difficulties beyond the weather! For example,PSNI had the G8, marching season and police and fire games - all of which I am sure will cause problems. Dunmurry have faced severe and sustained vandalism over the past few years (clubhouse is a burnt shell now, square was damaged a few years ago, lawnmower burnt, covers destroyed etc). Portadown were put off their home ground last year by the rugby side during the close season. We should be trying to support these clubs who are fighting for survival rather than putting them down.

Rob, what does league positions have to do with whether teams are interested in playing games? My team is down the table at the moment but I can assure you we are very interested in playing games. I spent 3 hours on the bowdry a few weeks ago to ensure we got a fixture played v BISC (and it was their home game but their pitch was not going to be playable so fixture would have been voided if we didn't host). A couple of weeks ago our home fixture v Donaghadee was the only one in section 3 to go ahead. These are not the actions of a team not wanting to play.

It is interesting to note that Portadown have just pulled out of the league. Also Dunmurry and PSNI have been struggling for a couple of years to get teams together so there are certainly issues in section 3. Combining sections 2 and 3 is certainly not the answer though and I think its a ridiculous suggestion. That would create a 16/17 team league with such a disparity between top and bottom that more problems would be created than solved. Perhaps a couple teams from section 2 should drop to section 3 and some section 3 clubs drop into Junior cricket?

Rob,
If you want to accuse sides of not being able to field a team or not wanting to play cricket, then I would suggest you look at the picture a bit closer.
VCC 1X1 have played 5 games, had one game more than most in the section called off due to the Junior Cup and had another game against the PSNI postponed due to the pressure the G8 Summitt placed on their players availability. If both those games had went ahead, then we would have played 7 league games to date, the same as the highest in the division. Our Seconds have also completed 5 games so far, second only in J6 to Carrick 3's, and this despite a damp "summer" and our clubs decision not to play on the Sabbath day, I am quite sure members of the other clubs you wish to denigrate will be able to give reasons for themselves, but I can assure you that VCC are fully intending to fulfill ALL fixtures if the weather permits, for ALL THREE of our sides.

Div 3 shambles:

In my opinion the NCU should scrap div 3 as there seem to be only 3 teams who are interested in playing and organizing games...this is reflected in the league positions / games played. There are teams who cannot field teams are not interested in making the grounds playable and are generally not interested....scrap div 3 and make div 2 bigger

Just back from a disappointing u15 interpro series for the NCU boys. Thanks to the large number of parents for the support given to the boys over the 3 days. It's a pity one of the Leinster boys described the NCU team as "The New Munster" in earshot of the majority of these parents. Pretty hard to take after all the time and effort invested by the boys and parents over the 3 days and indeed the last 6 months.

Just a couple of questions about rain interuptions and reduced overs

1. Why wait until 1.30 before starting to reduce overs - that is half an hour wasted straight away
2. Why reduce overs at a rate of 1 every 8 minutes. If you bowled your overs at 4 minutes per over you would incur penalty extras for bowling too slowly. If you are off for an hour the game is only reduced by 7 overs per side. Even test matches require 15 overs an hour to be bowled.

Surely the whole point of reducing overs is to try and ensure that the game finishes at roughly the same time as it normally would. Games finishing at 8.45 is a farce. The weather is already making life difficult for everyone and these rules are not
helping

Academy Cricket Club received news this morning of the sudden death of one of our rising stars, David Hawthorne. He came to us as a young under 15 opening bat who proudly hit his first ball as an academy cricketer for six. Two years later, he scored an impressive 20 runs on debut for the 1st XI in difficult conditions at the Cloughan. However, what Davy will be remembered for most will be his ability to make those around him laugh. He was always fun to be around and could lighten the mood in any situation. Just last Sunday he had most of the 3s in stitches with his usual jokes; all said while wearing his RBAI top. Although none of us will get the pleasure to play alongside him again, I know that he will never be forgotten. As a mark of respect, all this weekend’s Academy CC matches have been called off. Our thoughts and prayers are with David’s family and friends at the difficult time.

I am trying to chase up a number of scorecards from the Inter Union competitions.

National Cup
Killyclooney v Laurelvale
St Johnston v Cliftonville

Ulster Shield
Woodvale v Newbuildings
St Johnston v Dundrum

Ulster Plate
Brigade II v North Down II

I am happy to accept a photo or photos of the scorebook or I can send a proforma via email.

If anyone can help either way, please contact me at d77doey@btopenworld.com

I think we should retain 50 over cricket but with 12 or even 11.30 starts once schools are finished. Personally I don't enjoy shorter games and don't think it would encourage people to stay in the game. I start every season with the hope that Donaghcloney will get promoted however unlikely that may be.

Great to see that the Enterprise will be stopping at Malahide for the England game.
http://www.northerncricketunion.org/database/2013/news/articles/article290.shtml

(am i allowed to post links?)